Posted: Sat May 27, 2000 11:10 pm Post subject: Love the book and the Crow's Nest

Our son recently graduated from the US Coast Guard Academy. About two years ago, the Academy featured Mr. Junger as a guest and he spoke to the Corps of Cadets about the book and his research on it.

We have visited The Crow's Nest a couple of times. We live far, far from the area. We love the people there and Mr. Junger's style. He is like a modern day Steinbeck. We will be among the first in our area to see the movie. I hope it gives credit to the fishermen that risk their lives to provide the fish we all love and that is also respects those who go to the sea to save others.

I plan on beginning my read of the book on June 1st. I want to have it all finished and fresh in my mind by June 30th. I plan to view the film on the 30th.
I just finished reading a great article in PREMIERE magazine, which took pains to explain the unique and special relationships that the cast and crew of TPS developed with the townspeople of Glouster, and especially the survivor-families of the 6 men who died with the Andrea Gail. It was said that everyone took great care and respect in their portrayals of the characters, but that they helped the families to understand that the people we will see on the screen are just that--PORTRAYALS-- of the real people. Mark Wahlberg especially told Bobby Shatford's family that they would not see their son in the film, but his creation of a fisherman who was torn between his love of fishing and his lady. The family was okay with that explanation. George Clooney also told Billy Tyne's sister that he hoped he would make the family proud. Even Wolfgang Petersen, Director, spent hours listening and absorbing tales of the sea from local fishermen, and Petersen grew up in German bay towns himself.
I think this story will remind everyone of the courageous human spirit that people are capable of in extraordinary circumstances, whether they survive or not.

It also sounds like the actors took a lot of serious abuse during the filming, including almost being drowned while filming the scenes in the water! I seem to recall from the Premiere article that at one point Mark hit his head on the bottom on the boat and got a major lump on the head, and another time he almost got his leg broken by the mechanical shark. Scary!

Anyhow, one thing I really love about the film -- well, at least from what I've heard about it so far -- is that it pays as much attention to the characters as it does to the special effects. With a good script and a great cast like that, it should be excellent. In addition to Clooney, it will be nice to see Mark work with John C. Reilly again, he was so good in "Boogie Nights." Counting the days until June 30...